Final Contractor Thoughts

There are three areas you should watch out for to protect yourself from spending too much money or ending up with work that doesn't match your expectations. Contractors legitimately earn their money by (1) charging a fixed percentage of the total cost of the job, (2) marking up labor costs, including their own, and (3) marking up cost of materials. These, then, are the areas where unscrupulous general contractors can fill their pockets at your expense. Unless you fall for the pitch of a traveling siding salesman, most of the time you'll have to be aware more of small discrepancies than large scams.

Don't begrudge the general contractor for making a living, or make his workday a living hell by questioning every expense. Do, however, keep your eye on expenses as each payment date comes due. You have the right to know what you're spending on labor and materials, and the right to inspect those materials at any time. Also, if you're paying a percentage of the total cost, remember to keep an eye on that as costs run up, or change orders come about. The general contractor wants to hire workers and buy materials at the cheapest possible price, but he also knows that the workmanship must be good and the materials up to your specifications or he'll not get paid, or keep you as a client and referral.

To return to the image of the time-lapse video, that empty lot has been transformed into the home that you originally envisioned. You successfully found a general contractor, agreed upon terms and payment, spelled it out in a written contract that covered all of your concerns, established a working relationship based on communication and trust, took part in the decision-making process along the way, and watched the house of your dreams appear out of sawdust and cement. But whether you've hired a general contractor or done the contracting yourself, you have the satisfaction of realizing a dream, and a profound respect for the work and detail involved.